From a watchdog in Fairview Oregon
The real question is: Why are our commissioners and would-be County leaders rushing agreements, relieving Jordon Cove of 15-plus years property tax?
The company has yet to acquire a building permit, prove it's reliability, or use it's initial property tax relief. If a company proposing plans of this magnitude is solid it should not need to take our money!
Our commissioners are poised to approve Jordon Cove's tax relief based on verbal statements they will create 501(3)(c)'s, yearly giving millions to verbally stipulated beneficiaries chosen by themselves. Additionally, there would be no public oversight as their board selections, meetings, and financial decisions will all be private. (Individuals who lost their property due to unpaid property taxes wish they had such a deal.)
Why rush giving Jordon Cove millions of dollars? Could Chapter 662 Oregon Law 2003 section 307.123, modified October 16th 2013, be of interest? The legislation allows property tax relief to be transferable. " ....upon the property being acquired by a business firm that is different from the business firm that initially benefitted from the exemption...." Section 9 of this legislation states "....A determination ... that a project shall be exempt from property taxation ...must be requested by official action of the governing body of the county .." ( ie. our Board of Commissioners ).
These rushed decisions by our BOC have a great deal to do with our present financial state. Consider the State's '2012 Financial Condition Review' of Coos County: "...a balanced budget will become more difficult..." " Coos County debt is primarily for the county-owned pipeline." They further stated the 2012 commissioners' response: "As a result, the county commissioners indicated they will need to consider liquidating county assets in order to pay expenses"....What the report did not state was Northwest Natural's pipeline payment to Coos County continually equals our payment to them for maintenance. We taxpayers got $27 million, plus interest, in debt.
The 2012 commisioners gave Oregon Rescources Corp. similar tax perks based on verbal assurances of hundreds of jobs. Four days after obtaining our transferable lease, they laid off about half of their remaining employees.
The list of ill thought out, rushed decisions with our money and land goes on and on. We deserve better. This time the commissioners must, at a minimum, require beneficiaries of our assets use what they have already been given before asking for more. Jaye Bell
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